The Lone Star College—CyFair branch library and the Harris County Public Library System are sponsoring the ninth annual Prom Dress Give-Away in March and April with the help of community members. Throughout the year, gently used prom dresses are gathered from students, making them available free of charge for high school students living on a tight budget.

"We are essentially a recycling program that receives no longer needed beautiful dresses, shoes, jewelry and accessories," said Elise Sheppard, LSC teen librarian. "We store them on professional clothing racks in a big closet in the library. Girls come to the closet to try on and take home their selections."

While the Prom Closet initiative began as a collaboration between LSC–CyFair and Cy–Fair ISD counselors and social workers, the program has grown beyond the Cy–Fair community, according to Sheppard.

"The program is so valued by the community that school districts have bussed over their girls and have also run dress drives for us," she said. "So far, we have served girls from not only the public school systems, but also private schools, home schooled students, schools for students with special needs, a school for the blind, group homes for delinquent girls and for those who have been abused, and for church-sponsored young women."

In 2004, the first Prom Dress Give-Away took place following the efforts of former LSC student LaShanta Green, Nancy Flanakin, president of the LSC–CyFair Friends of the Library and Elise Sheppard.

There are approximately 1,500 dresses that will be available for give-away and more than 500 girls from school districts throughout Houston are expected to attend. In the past, the program has also given dresses to girls in beauty pageants and even the occasional young bride, Sheppard said.

Dresses will be made available for students to fit and take home at no charge March 15 from 1–4 p.m., March 16 from 1–3:30 p.m., March 17 and April 20 from 1–3:30 p.m and April 19 from 3:30–5:30 p.m. The event will be held in the LSC–CyFair library room 131. Dresses are offered to students to keep and take home.

Those who would like to participate or make a donation should contact their local high school youth service specialist or the LSC–CyFair Prom Closet organizer at 281-290-5248.